Photo by @Shannon__Wild / An Oryx, also known as a Gemsbok (pronounced ‘Hemsbock’) stands proud with its distinctive straight horns silhouetted against a Namibian dusk.⠀Follow me @Shannon__Wild for more images of wildlife from around the world where I also share my camera settings for budding photographers.

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Photo by @shaazjung | Early mornings in Nagarhole National Park in South India are best spent scanning the trees for leopards. Meet ‘Mist’, the resident leopardess who is often seen on cold and misty mornings. She is currently the mother of two cubs and the father is none other than the famous ‘Kali’, the black panther. .Follow @shaazjung as he documents more of the jungles best kept secrets.

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Not all kills are JUST for food. After the mother leopard dropped off her impala kill, her cub seen here, actually used it as an opportunity to practice hunting! Like a house cat with a toy, this play helps the cub hone its skills. That biting of the neck is a perfect example of this young cub testing out its teeth on one of the best spots to take down prey! To see more wildlife photos and videos, head to my page and give me a follow at @agoetzfilm. Thanks!

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Photo by @joelsartore. Roughly the size of a house cat, the small but mighty San Clemente Island fox is one species that has bounced back from the brink of extinction. Threatened by predation by invasive golden eagles, canine distemper transmitted by domestic dogs, habitat fragmentation due to development, and habitat loss to introduced livestock and game species, this species saw its population plummet in the 1990s and sightings became extremely rare. Thanks to captive breeding efforts, relocation of golden eagles, and the reintroduction of bald eagles (to prevent the goldens from recolonizing), the populations of this fox and three other nearby subspecies have grown. Work continues to boost the San Clemente Island fox’s numbers and in 2016 the species was down listed from endangered to threatened. Photographed @santabarbarazoo. Follow me for another look at this beautiful fox!

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Photo by @DaisyGilardini // A Laysan Albatross showed great interest in my camera while shooting on a white sand beach in the Midway Atoll in Hawaii. This species is listed as Vulnerable in the IUCN Red List. The result of our civilized indiscriminate consumerism is a really sad reality for thousands of Albatross and endangered spices that live in the Archipelago. 30% of all albatross chicks die on Midway. While out at see feeding, the Albatross pick up all kind of plastic debris mistaking it for food. They will then feed their chick by regurgitating plastic in their stomachs with the result that they will be so full that will die for starvation and dehydration. It has been calculated that Albatross in Midway feed their chick with 5 TONS of plastic every year. It is important to be aware of our daily plastic consumption and the consequences that come with it. Follow me @DaisyGilardini for more images and stories behind the scenes.

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Photo by @FransLanting Whether you call them cougars, pumas, or mountain lions, they’re all the same cat. They were nearly wiped out along the coast of California near Santa Cruz where I live, but since they were given protection in 1990, they’ve rebounded. They now occur even at the edges of towns and cities, but they are very good at avoiding people. I’ve seen tracks close to my home, but it took the company of a researcher and a tracker to come eye to eye with this splendid big cat looking down on us from an old oak tree. The comeback of cougars in California is a success story, and it shows what can happen if we’re tolerant of apex predators and if we’re protecting enough wild land where they can survive. Follow us @FransLanting and @ChristineEckstrom for more close encounters with the wild. @thephotosociety#Mountainlion#California#Santacruz#Panthera#wildlifephotography#nature#BigCatsInitiative#Celebrate

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Photo by @DaisyGilardini // Among all the different weather conditions, the one I like the less while photographing is rain. It provides however great photo opportunities like droplets accumulating on this king penguin head in South Georgia. The white snow behind around the penguin made for a perfect high key image.

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Photo by @shaazjung | Winter light crept through the jungle canopy as a Langur monkey and her baby basked in a rare ray of sunshine. There’s infinite beauty in the thick forests of Nagarhole National Park in South India and langurs play an essential role in this thriving ecosystem. .Follow @shaazjung as he documents more of the jungles best kept secrets.

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Photo by @CristinaMittermeier // While diving in Norway in 2016, I caught a glimpse of a black and white silhouette emerging from the deep. Soon, this gorgeous orca was swimming beside me, maneuvering through scattering herring. I was immediately overwhelmed with excitement as I knew the rest of its family was close, getting ready to work as a team to feed on the abundant schools of these fish. Encounters with orcas have been a highlight in my career. Right now, we are back in Norway in the Great Orca Fjords, which is home to one of the largest orca populations in the world. Being back and being immersed in this region that so abundant with orcas feels like a reunion with old friends. We are here to showcase the importance of these animals and their habitat and it is such a pleasure to photograph these creatures and to be a part of a passionate team that is committed to protecting them. #FollowMe at @CristinaMittemeier for more photos of these beautiful cetaceans and to follow along with the expedition! #Norway#orcas#ocean#conservation#underwaterphotography